CC Shaky as Yanks fall to the Mariners (Postgame Notes 2 July 2009)

The Yankees did not play a particularly horrid game--certainly not their worst of the season--but their ace did struggle on the mound.

Meanwhile the Seattle Mariners were finally able to mount an offense (if you get a chance to see Russell Branyan hit the restaurant--yes, the restaurant--do it), and got the same pitching they've had all season that's actually among the best in the majors.

Put the two together, and you get a Seattle win.

For the Yankees, the real concern here is not the hitting, but whether or not CC's shaky outing was just one of those things, or if it is in some way related to the biceps tendinitis he had earlier. It probably isn't, but given the amount invested in him, it's best to be sure.


Seattle never led by more than four runs; the first four run lead was the fault of Sabathia and the second could possibly be attested to Girardi leaving Alfredo Aceves in the game too long. At any rate, Branyan hit a moonshot, and coming as late in the game as it did, it was a bit of a death knell.

The good news is that tomorrow is a day game, a quick turnaround so that the blah-ness of today's game can be quickly forgotten.

Of course, the Blue Jays must be considered a stronger opponent than any of the Braves, Mets or Mariners, but the Yankees took two of three from them earlier, and there is no reason to think they can't at least split this series (taking three of four would, of course, be wonderful; all four would be beyond awesome, but I hear beating Roy Halladay is hard.)





If you want an interesting story from today, the SD/HOU game was delayed because of bees.

Yeah, you read that right.

Holy Jesus Montero!

His name is Jesus Montero. He's 19 years old and was recently promoted to AA Trenton, where he's done nothing but mash.

You may have heard of him.

Without question he is the best hitting--especially power hitting--prospect the Yankees have in the minors.

There is no guarantee that Montero can keep hitting as he is, or that he will make it in the Majors, but what is clear is that he is outperforming some of the game's best when they were at that level.

What I've done in this post, then, is taken some of the game's best hitters today and in the past decade, and given you their lines for both their age-19 seasons and their first AA seasons (since most players are not 19 at AA). And then I'll give you Jesus' line, through 19 games.


Albert Pujols

Without question, Pujols is the best hitter in the game today. He's already got 30 HR before the All Star break, and with the caveat that smart teams don't pitch to him because he has almost 0 protection in the line up.

Pujols is an interesting case because he broke into stateside professional baseball at age 20--wherein he advanced from A- to AAA, and outright skipped AA altogether.

For the year, across all three levels, his totals were .314/.378/.543/.920 with, as you might imagine, most of the damage coming at low-A where he hit .324/.389/.565/.953. He played over 100 games at low-A; 21 at high-A and 3 at AAA.


Miguel Cabrera

In the 07-08 off season, the trade that sent Cabrera to Detroit (along with Dontrelle Willis) in exchange for Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller was hailed as the biggest of the off season (until some dude named Santana went to the Mets). There's never been a question about Cabrera's bat; the question over his defense seems to have been solved by moving him from third to first.

At his age-19 season, Cabrera was at high-A, and over 124 games put together a line of .274/.333/.421/.754, with 9 HR, 38 walks and 85 strikeouts.

At AA the nest year, at age-20, over 69 games, Cabrera seems to have stumbled onto a miracle cereal, or something--at level where many bats go to die, Cabrera blossomed to .365/.429/.609/1.038, with 10 HR, only 49 strikeouts and 31 walks.

He skipped AAA entirely.



Hanley Ramirez

Often considered the #1 fantasy player in the game, because he hits well, and unlike Pujols, doesn't have an injury history.

He seems to have taken a course that is more common for some of the game's top prospects.

At age 19 in the Sally League, in 111 games, Ramirez hit .275/.327/.403/.730 with 8 HRs, 73 strikeouts and 32 walks.

His age 20 season was spent in three different leagues, ultimately ending at AA; his age 21 season was spent entirely at AA.

At that season, age 21 at AA, Ramirez hit over a course of 122 games, .271/.335/.385/.720, with 6 HR, 62 strikeouts and 39 walks.


Like Cabrera before him, he skipped AAA entirely.



Mike Piazza

As a power-hitting catcher who didn't catch very well, Piazza could be Montero's best comparison--although Piazza didn't break into even the minors until his age-20 season.

He was already 23 when he first appeared at AA ball, and over 31 games, he hit .377/.441/.658/1.099, with 7 HR, 18 strikeouts and 13 walks. The stats are astounding...and may explain why he didn't stay at AA for very long; I am inclined to think that age here is also a factor.



Andruw Jones

Never mind the sudden falling-off-the-face-of-the-earth; Jones did some crazy good things in his prime.

In his age-19 season, Jones made it all the way from high-A to AAA, so as an age comparison he probably works best with Montero.

At age-19 and in AA, over 38 games, Jones hit .369/.432/.675/1.107 (Holy $#$@#$), with 12 HR, 34 strikeouts and 17 walks.



So what about Jesus Montero?

At age 19, over the course of 19 games thus far, Montero's hit .319/.395/.542/.937, with 4 HR (12 for the year over all) with nine walks and only six strikeouts.


So, right now, Montero isn't hitting like Jones hit in AA, but unlike Jones and everyone else on the list, he has more walks than strikeouts. Last year, there was huge split, with 83 strikeouts to 37 walks; the gap has narrowed at each level, and it will be interesting to see if he can keep it up.

Nineteen games is a very small sample size, but four home runs over this time period is about one HR every five games--and this is in a pitcher's league, in a pitcher's park.

What makes Montero all the more impressive is that he is doing all of this, and he doesn't even turn 20 until November.

Now, Montero isn't a perfect prospect--he doesn't play great defense, and he, like many catchers, is slo-o-ow, but with a bat that can mash like his can, you end up pretty willing to deal with that.


One thing I've noticed--these players all seem to play only part of a season at a certain level or skip a level entirely.

Could Montero skip AAA?

It's unlikely--even if his bat is major league ready at the end of this season (unlikely, but you never know), his defense will hold him back. A hitter that good you can find a role for, especially in the AL, but with what will soon be a glut at DH, the Yankees would be best served by finding a position--any position--that Montero can play even remotely competently in the field. Catching would be the first choice--since that will give him the most value, but there are also rumors of left field. First base would seem almost natural, but as long as Teixeira's there for the next 8 years, Montero would be blocked at that position.

Still, Montero has been incredibly fun to follow thus far, and shows little sign of slowing.

Chapman Defects From Cuba

From here

El pitcher Aroldis Chapman abandona el equipo nacional en Holanda

Pitcher Aroldis Chapman abandons the national team in the Netherlands

Roger Machado, director del equipo, dijo a CUBAENCUENTRO.com que el lanzador había abandonado el hotel, pero que no podía confirmar 'su deserción'.

Roger Machado, director of the team, tells CUBAENCUENTRO.com that the pitcher has left the teams hotel, but that he could not confrim "his desertion".


El pitcher Aroldis Chapman, la mayor promesa entre los lanzadores de la Isla, abandonó el equipo nacional de béisbol que participará desde este jueves en el tradicional Torneo de Rotterdam (Holanda).

The pitcher Aroldis Chapman, the most promising of the pitchers from the island [Cuba], abandoned the national baseball team that will participate this Thursday in the traditional Tournament of Rotterdam (Netherlands).

"Estoy muy contento. Hasta ahora todo ha salido bien. Era un plan que yo tenía, fue una decisión que tomé. Quería probarme en ese béisbol", afirmó Chapman a CUBAENCUENTRO.com desde una ciudad cuyo nombre no será revelado por motivos de seguridad.

"I am very happy. Everything now has left well. There was a plan that I had, it was a decision that I took. I wanted to test myself in this baseball," affirmed Chapman when talking to CUBENENCUENTRO.com from a city whose name will not be revealed for security reasons.

Según relató el lanzador, tras arribar a Rotterdam, a primera hora de la tarde del miércoles, decidió abandonar el hotel con la ayuda de unos amigos.

As the pitcher narrated his tale, after arriving at Rotterdam, at one in the afternoon on Wednesday, he decided to leave the hotel with the help of some friends.

"Salí normal, por la puerta del hotel, y me monté en un carro. Fue fácil", añadió. Ahora sus planes son "firmar con algún equipo y jugar en Grandes Ligas".

"I left normally, by the hotel door, and got into a car. It was easy," he added. Now his plans are "sign with some team and play in the Major Leagues".

Roger Machado, director del equipo nacional, dijo a este sitio, en la madrugada del jueves (hora central europea), que Chapman había abandonado el hotel, pero que no podía confirmar "su deserción".

Roger Machado, director of the national team, told this site, at daybreak on Thursday (central European time), that Chapman had left the hotel, but that he could not confirm "his desertions".

"No ha llegado al hotel desde que salió", apuntó Machado, y además declinó adelantar el lanzador que utilizaría el jueves frente a Taiwán, en sustitución del holguinero.

"He has not come back to the hotel since leaving," said Machado, and then declined to rush the pitcher that he will use on Thursday against Taiwan, in substitution of [the holguinero] holguinero seems to be the adjective form for someone from Holguin, ie, like Italian or Englishman. Holguín is a Cuban province. I don't quite understanded the part about Taiwain.

Chapman, que posee una recta que alcanza las 100 millas por hora, tiene 21 años de edad. Nació en el municipio de Frank País, provincia de Holguín.

Chapman, who possesses a [pitch?] that he throws at 100 MPH, is 21 years old. He was born in the town of Frank País, in the province of Holguin.

Cuba lleva a Rotterdam un plantel renovado de 24 jugadores, ahora 23, en el que sobresalen cuatro subcampeones olímpicos de Pekín y cinco miembros del equipo que asistió al II Clásico Mundial.

Cuba arrives in Rotterdam with a renovated roster of 24 players, now 23, that participated in the fourth [baseball] olympic championships in Beijing, and five members of the team that attended the second World Baseball Classic

Pettitte Strong as Yanks Roll to 7th Straight (postgame notes 1 July 2009)

For, perhaps, the first time this season, Andy Pettitte had an excellent outing at home.

On a warm night (without rain, if you'd believe it and I don't blame you if you don't) that saw four home runs, Pettitte maintained his cool and pitched as though it was still 1999.

He did give up two runs, but at no point in the game did he ever trail the Mariners, and was no doubt helped by some falling asleep on behalf of the Mariners on the basepath.

As for the Yankee offense, just like last night, it did enough at the right moments to get the win. Four runs won't win you a game every night, but it will most nights if your starting pitching is competent, which, tonight, it was.

Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera and Alex Rodriguez all had home runs, with Melky's and A-Rod's shots being particularly, uh, blast-like.


And, really, that's all there is to say about tonight's game. Alfredo Aceves and Phil Coke combined for a scoreless 8th while Mariano Rivera picked up his 502nd save.

It was a crisp, clean game played in a very quick 2:17.

Once again, the Yankees have assured themselves of a series victory, and with the Jays coming in over the long weekend in which the Yankees get to face Roy Halladay and Ricky Romero (8 scoreless vs. the Rays today), that looms important.

CC Sabathia will be on the hill tomorrow as the Yankees go for the sweep.

Peña to try out centerfield in AAA

As expected, Ramiro Peña has been optioned to AAA Scranton to make room for Eric Hinske.

This is not a bad thing. Peña is still a prospect and will clearly benefit--especially in terms of his bat--from playing every day.

What has attracted my eye, however, is Pete Abraham's update in tonight's game post, that Peña will get some time at center field.

The astute among you will know that heretofore Peña had been primarily a 3B-SS-2B defensive whiz kid; if he can play center field then he can very possibly play left or right as well, at least from a defensive standpoint, and increase his versatility.

That Peña will get time at CF means that Austin Jackson--the Yankees' top prospect--will probably find himself playing some more corner outfield.

I asked if this was a reflection on Peña or Jackson; the astute commenter CB had this to say:

It’s all Pena. They must be very impressed with his athleticism, defense and specifically his ability to play balls in the air to try this.

Let’s put it this way – he’s only 23 and has never played in AAA. Rather than concentrating his time at SS they’re willing to challenge him to learn an entirely new position and the third hardest position on the diamond.

And 23 while not old isn’t exactly young to try to pick up a new position like that.

It’s very hard to do. But if he can do it they’ve got a great bench player for the future.

I guess you could say, then, that Peña got the Yankees to open their eyes. And they like what they see.

Pirates not happy with their management

Check out this article from ESPN.com in which >Pittsburgh Pirates players blast their management for the constant trading away of their best players:

Shortstop Jack Wilson -- himself the subject of trade rumors -- said he was "beyond, beyond tired" of the Pirates' deals the past few seasons, the newspaper reported. "We know that they're looking to the future, which doesn't say much about 2009," Wilson said, according to the report. "That's probably what's so shocking. We're five games out, and we lost two or three of our everyday players" in the trades that sent McLouth and Morgan out of town.

"They're businessmen. They're trying to achieve winning baseball in Pittsburgh. The biggest question is: When is that going to be? When do things start turning around?" Wilson said, according to the report. "It's just hard for guys who have been here and seen these exact same trades happen and seen it absolutely do nothing. I've been here nine years. I've seen two or three of these trades every year and still haven't had a winning season."

Now I know Pirates fans are not among this blog's readers (usually), but those are some very strong words.


For all of Brian Cashman's faults, and there, one might presume, are many, one needs to only see something like this to remember that the situation can be a lot worse.

There's building for the future, but at some point a team can't just be building--they have to be doing as well. The Pirates are only five games out this season in a rather weak NL Central--so such moves as moving Morgan and McClouth so soon after each other have to upset Pittsburgh fans.


At least they've got the Steelers and the Penguins, I guess.

Really, the Yankees Don't Have It So Bad

Despite a six-game win streak (yes, really), some are still complaining about the Yankees.

So I thought, in the perpetual spirit of optimism (and Schadenfreude), I'd go through and list some of the other teams I've been following, and their issues, because after you do that you realize that the Yankees' not-yet-solid 8th inning and inability-to-hit-pitchers-they-don't-see are not really the biggest problems they could have.

The teams that I've picked are purposefully not bad teams--in fact some have a reasonable chance to win their division--but if they are going to October, they've got a bit of a bigger hill to climb.


Boston Red Sox: Just had the bullpen blow a 10-1 lead to the Baltimore Orioles last night. That says a lot about the bullpen, especially that the law of averages may be beginning to creep back up....Dustin Pedroia has weaker stats than Brett Gardner (no, really!) Mike Lowell just went on the DL, and Kevin Youkilis got hit hard with a pitch in the 9th last night. They still have a lot of pitching depth--Buchholz is still in the minors--and David Ortiz has begun to emerge from a black hole, so I don't think anyone in Sox nation is really all that worried...but they do have some issues.

Toronto Blue Jays: The team that started off by feasting on the weak AL Central now has a bear of a schedule, with still more than 40 games to go against the Rays, Sox and Yanks. The one time the Yanks played them, they took two of three, losing only Roy Halladay's start. As always, the rest of the starting rotation has been patched together with glue, and that awful Vernon Wells contract looks worse by the hour.


New York Mets: David Wright has less HR right now than David Ortiz, even with Ortiz's slow start. They've lost five straight and are fielding a line up that is usually only seen in Spring Training. Jerry Manuel is practically begging for Omar Minaya to get a hitter, or, well, anything, but Minaya has done nothing, yet. Ending this here would be merciful.


Philadelphia Phillies: This team is all sorts of awesome on the road, but for whatever reason can't win at home. They should have pulled away from the NL East as the Mets crashed, but they went and lost 11 of 13 instead and are pretty much only still in first because their division is that bad. If the good pitching Braves can start hitting, the Phillies will really have to watch their backs.


St. Louis Cardinals: @Matthewhleach is one of the writers I follow on Twitter. At the end of every night, he remarks that the Cardinals are on pace for __ wins. I've watch that number go from 90 down to 84. Watching Albert Pujols hit is pure joy, but there is utterly no one to protect him in the line up, so as the division races heat up, he should see less and less pitches to hit. The Cardinals overpaid for Mark DeRosa, sending Cleveland their version of Mark Melancon, and now, just three games later, DeRosa is hurt.




So there you have it. Things aren't perfect in Yankeeland, but compared to some of our other baseball compadres, they are quite rosy.